Cynosure
by lowlaury
Summary: One night she turns up at the doorstep of the Institute, leaving a trail of blood and many unanswered questions. And most importantly, she brings up old memories of Beck's. / / AU. BADE. Set in the TMI universe. More info inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I know. A multi-chaptered story? Laura, are you serious? Yes I am. I know that I really suck at keeping up with multi-chaptered stories. But this one won't be too long, maybe 3 or 4 chapters, and I felt like it was simply too long/complex for a oneshot. I swear I will do my best to complete this. **

**I recently got hooked on The Mortal Instruments series, and while I was reading, this idea for a Bade story popped into my mind and just wouldn't let me go, so I decided to write it. You don't have to know the books to understand the story (I think), since I only borrowed their world, but not the characters. I summed up what you have to know in order to understand the story below.**

**Disclaimer: I own neither Victorious, nor The Mortal Instruments, I'm just taking both worlds and mixing them together for fun.**

**This is the basic knowledge you need in order to understand the story. If you're familiar with TMI, you can skip this part and move on to the story. And don't worry, I promise there aren't any spoilers for those who still want to read the books:**

_**Shadowhunters (or Nephilim) are a secretive race of human who hunt demons and keep other so-called Downworlders, such as demons and werewolves, under control. Common humans can't usually become Shadowhunters, you are born to be one and normally receive a strict training throughout your childhood years, to be prepared for what is about to come. Most Shadowhunters are born and raised in Idris, a country that is unknown to mundanes (humans). After they complete their training, they are usually sent out to where they are needed. Located in all larges cities worldwide are so called Institutes, safe houses for Shadowhunters, usually located in churches. They are glamoured, so that mundanes who look at them will usually see a rundown church. Those Institutes are open to all Shadowhunters who mean no harm. Shadownhunters use runes, which they draw on their skin using a stele. They have many effects and are what makes them stronger than humans. **_

_/ / /_

**CYNOSURE**

_Fire. It was all he could see. Flames and embers, illuminating the night sky, as they ate their way through the houses and stables. The tiny village was ablaze, leaving it hard to imagine its former beauty, now that the sizzling hot fire had snared all that it once was in its entirety. Demon fire._

_He opened his mouth, trying to call for his parents, but all that came out was a dry cough. People ran past him, screaming, crying, terrified. Beside him, one of the houses caved in under the flames with a tremendous crack. At the last second, the little boy managed to cover his eyes from the soaring sparks. Tightly clutched in his hand, was an amulet that his father had just given him the second before the demons attacked. He didn't know what it was for, but right now it was all that he had of his parents. He didn't know if they were still alive, if the demons had killed them, if they had still been in their house when it collapsed._

_He was surprised to find tears rolling down his cheeks, his mouth felt so dry that he had doubted to find a single drop of water in his body still. He quickly wiped them off and tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't let him. He felt so weak, so worn out, his eyelids felt so heavy all of a sudden..._

"_You can't just _sit _here, are you stupid?" It was the voice of a girl. Reluctantly, he forced his eyes open. Smoke was clouding his vision, and he couldn't see much more of her than her tiny silhouette. "Come _on_," she ordered, and grabbed his hand, pulling him on his feet and dragging him with her, away from the flames. She only turned around once to check on him, quick enough that he couldn't catch more of her features than her sapphire blue eyes. The cold color contrasted with the reddish light the fire had bathed all the surroundings in. _

_Once they had reached the edge of town, she let go of his hand. Away from the fire it was dark, the crescent moon didn't offer much light. It was just enough to make out the nod she gave him, before she turned around and vanished into the night. Before he could even realize what had just happened, he felt an arm wrapping around him and lifting him into the air. "Beck! You're all right!" _

_The boy spun around, to find himself with a bald man in loose clothes, much unlike what Shadowhunters usually wore. "Sikowitz!" _

"_We don't have much time, Beck, we have to get to the portal," the man said, and was already hurrying back into the village. The other villagers who were still alive were moving against them, away from the flames, almost knocking the two of them over. But Sikowitz was resolute, he put his arms protectively around the little boy, and stormed into one of the houses that appeared to be his own. Beck screamed, afraid of the fire, but Sikowitz ignored him and made his way to the object he was looking for._

_A big, antique mirror was leaning against a wall in the back of the room, seemingly unharmed by the fire. Beck knew what it was, a portal, that could get them anywhere, away from here. He had seen Sikowitz and his father use it countless times. His father. Beck's eyes widened. "What about my parents?" he cried as they were about to step into the mirror. Sikowitz gave him a pitying glance, shaking his head. Then he tightened his grip around the boy and went straight through the mirror._

_The next thing Beck remembered, was silence. No crackling fire, no screams and cries and destruction. He looked around and found himself in a mostly gray room with a big table and some comfortable looking chairs placed around it. Sikowitz was already on his feet, beating soot out of his clothes. The boy got up, hesitantly examining his body for injuries. Except for a piercing pain in his throat, caused by the smoke, he assumed, he felt fine, according to the circumstances. As he sprawled out his arms in front of him, though, he noticed one thing._

_The amulet was gone._

/ / /

Soundlessly, she moved through the night, tightly clutching her left arm. The injuries had weakened her body, but not her skills. Blood was seeping right through the piece of cloth she had wrapped around the gash right above her elbow, but at least it was keeping it from dripping on the ground. The last thing she wanted was to leave traces for the demons to find. She instinctively knew where to go, invisible forces guiding her.

She came to a halt in front of the solid wood doors of what appeared to be a church, panting heavily. She knew that her legs wouldn't carry her for much longer. "In the name of the Clave," she breathed. "I ask entry to this holy place."

As if by an invisible hand, the heavy doors swung open and she hauled herself in. The Los Angeles Institute was one of the prettier ones, she noticed. The floor was marble, and stained-glass windows edged the way to the elevator, to which she was now heading. In the faint light coming from the ceiling (witchlight, she assumed), more of her injuries became visible. Her dark clothes were blood-stained, most of it coming from a wound on her stomach and arm, and she was limping on one leg. Her pretty face was covered in little scratches and also bigger gashes, blood dripping on her left eye from a cut just above her eyebrow. Despite all that, she valiantly kept herself on her feet, hobbling to the elevator.

Her fingers left bloody marks on the buttons as she pressed them and was finally on her way downstairs. When the doors opened again, she was greeted with the sight of a boy standing in the hallway, curiously eying her. He was dressed in pajamas, a dressing gown loosely thrown over his shoulders. He probably wasn't much older than herself, she thought, seventeen at the most. "Hey," he greeted. "I heard noises so I–" He abruptly stopped talking when she stepped out of the elevator and into the light, and sharply inhaled at the sight of the injured girl. "Woah, let me help y–"

"Weapons' room," she interrupted him in a commanding tone, but her voice was lacking force. She was still holding her left arm, the cloth soaked with so much blood that it started running down to her hand now, where it pooled at her finger tips before dripping on the white floor. He looked at her questioningly, eyebrows drawn together, and opened his mouth to retort something, but she was faster. "Where is the weapons' room, idiot," she spat, this time louder, and she could taste blood streaming into her mouth from one of her many wounds.

He was taken aback by her harshness, even though it seemed somewhat familiar to him in a strange way, and just wordlessly pointed behind her, to where a brazen door marked the end of the corridor. She cursed under her breath as she began to move her sore body again, and started limping towards the door. The boy watched her for a moment, still confused, before he hesitantly followed her into the weapons' room of the Institute.

The only light in the room fell through the door she had left open behind her, and made the room seem even more menacing than it already was, covering it in dim shadows. The weapons' room had no windows, and every inch of the wall was covered in axes, swords, whips, bows, and other threatening-looking items that would make no sense to anyone who was unfamiliar with the Shadowhunter business. The girl was currently rifling through the weapons that were placed on a big, wooden table in the middle of the room, cursing while doing so, because she obviously couldn't find what she was looking for.

The boy watched her from the door frame, he wasn't entirely sure how to handle this situation. Whoever this Shadowhunter girl was, she knew exactly what she wanted and was determined to find it, and she didn't seem to care much about his presence at all. However, suddenly, she addressed him, "Don't you have any steles in this room?" Her tone was somewhere between desperation and anger.

"Steles?" he asked baffled. "If you're a Shadowhunter, why don't you have your own?"

"I lost it in the battle, genius," she snapped, while angrily shoving a stack of knives aside. "Why else would I be here?"

Finally, he took a few steps inside the room. "Well, for starters, a stele is hardly a weapon," he lectured, earning himself a glare. "But you can borrow mine." He slid his hand into the pocket of his gown, and revealed a long, slender twig, glinting in emerald green. In a few more steps he was beside her, offering her the tool. A few stains of blood remained on his hand when she snatched it from him, where her fingers had brushed his palm.

Ungainly, she started off by ripping the cloth from her arm using her teeth, since her hand was now occupied with the stele. It was getting harder to move, she had lost a lot of blood and was slowly starting to feel dizzy. Only adrenaline was keeping her on her feet. She impatiently rammed the stele against her arm, drawing a healing rune on her skin with shaky hands.

The boy watched as she flinched at the touch of the stele against her skin, he knew that it had to be painful on such a severe gash. He took another step forward and cautiously placed a hand on the arm she was drawing with. "Here," he said, taking the stele out of her hands. "Let me help you." He could see that she wasn't too happy with accepting his help, but probably too tired to protest. Pushing her gently so that she turned to face him, he carefully grabbed her injured arm and finished the Iratze rune. She sighed in relief as the gash started closing, easing the sharp pain in her arm. "Now let me see this one," the boy said calmly, pointing at a spot on her torso, where blood seeped through a few rips in her black shirt. He carefully lifted her top just enough to reveal the gashing wound on her pale stomach. It looked like something with long claws had slashed her open.

As gently as he could, he started drawing another rune, but stopped when she winced at the pain. "I'm sorry," he murmured and continued his work, knowing that there was no other way to help her. He brought the stele to a halt when he finished, and eyed her stomach, waiting for the healing power to take effect. Slowly, the wound started closing. Way too slowly, he thought.

The girl noticed his unease. "Kahek venom," she told him, and he nodded, suddenly understanding. Other than the venom of other demons, that of Kaheks wasn't strong enough to overrule the effect of healing runes completely, but it slowed down the process.

After he had taken care of her leg as well, he helped her up. She was still weak on her feet, and so she supported herself on his shoulder. "Are you sure you can walk?" he asked worriedly. She was about to nod, when her legs caved in again, and what seemed like just a millisecond later, she found herself in his arms instead of the cold stony floor, where she had landed if he hadn't caught her. Without asking further questions, he swept her up into his arms and carried her out of the room.

When he stepped into the corridor, he hesitated for a moment, pondering over his options. The residential wing was on the other end of the building, and even though the girl wasn't all that heavy and he would have had the strength to carry her over there, he decided that he didn't want to waste too much time. Despite her fixed injuries (except for the one on her stomach, which was still in the healing process), she was still weak and he wanted her to get some rest as soon as possible. Suddenly decided, he walked along the corridor until he reached the second last room on the right. He carelessly kicked the half-closed door open and went straight to the bed that was placed in the middle on one of the walls, and gently placed her in it, before pulling off her jacket and boots. She didn't resist, but uncomfortably bit her lip. She didn't like being dependent on anyone.

He stuffed some pillows under head, and then told her that he'd be right back while already hurrying out of the room. It was a nice room, not very organized, but not exactly messy, either, she noticed, taking in the sight while waiting for him. There wasn't much furniture beside the huge bed she was currently lying in, just a desk and a drawer. An open door to her right revealed a small bathroom attached to the room. When he came back, he was carrying a first aid kit, as well as a washcloth in a bowl of hot water and a towel.

"Can you sit?" he asked and helped her up when she nodded. Carefully, he started cleaning her face from the dry blood that stuck to her skin and hair. He worked his way down her arms, careful not to apply too much pressure where the gash had been, all while she watched him silently. "I'm Beckett Oliver," he told her between his work. "But you can call me Beck. What's your name?"

He looked up from her arm and for the first time, took in her facial features. She was very pretty, he thought, and there was something about her piercing blue eyes that struck him. She lifted her head as well, and her eyes met his. "Jade."

"Jade," he repeated thoughtfully. "That's a pretty name." He handed her the washcloth. "Here. I'll give you some privacy to clean the rest if you can, and I'll go look for some clothes for you." She nodded and took it from him, before he left the room once again.

Slowly, Jade lifted up her half-torn up shirt, and carefully removed the clotted blood from around the gashes. She flinched a little at the pain, but as a Shadowhunter, she was rather tolerant to it, as she had spent her whole life training and fighting.

Beck knocked on the door soon after, and entered the room with a fresh pair of pajamas in his hands. "They might be a little big on you," he said apologetically while handing them to her. "But I think they will do."

She looked up at him. A genuine smile played on his lips, something she didn't see too often. Not that she saw people all that often anyway. Beck had fluffy hair that reached almost to his shoulders, and that right now, stuck out in all directions, implying that he had probably been sleeping before she arrived. She didn't like how welcome he made her feel, feelings in general were nothing but a distraction in their business. "Thanks," she told him reluctantly. The healing runes had finally taken enough effect for her to carefully limp to be bathroom nearby, where she changed into the pajamas and splashed some cold water in her face.

When she got back, she found Beck sitting in a large armchair next to his desk. She plopped back down onto the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just waiting for you," he explained, then got up. "But if you're okay, I will leave you to yourself now. Both of us should get some sleep. I'll be in the residential wing."

"The residential wing?" she questioned. "I had the impression you lived here. Permanently, I mean."

"I do," he replied, his voice playful but soft. "But you're currently occupying my bed."

She let her eyes wander down, as if she hadn't realized what she was sitting on before. "Oh," she said. "So this is your room?"

He confirmed with a nod, then his expression was suddenly firm. He gave her a stern look, making sure to lock eyes with her to show his serious concern. He walked over to stand in front of her. "What _happened_?" It was the question that he had been dying to ask since the moment she stepped out of the elevator, bloody and badly injured.

She sighed. "You're a Shadowhunter yourself, you know how things get." She didn't look at him. Instead, she smoothed the blanket beneath her.

"Jade," His tone was probing, yet a bit pitying. "You know as much as I do that this isn't how things usually are. Why are you alone? Don't you have a partner to back you up?"

She avoided the question. "What about you? Do you live here all by yourself?"

He eyed her for a second, but decided that, since she had been through a lot for one night, he would let her get away with it for now. "No. I live he with my godfather, he guards the place. He's just out of town right now."

"I see," she said, and he nodded, before slowly making his way to the door.

"Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything," he told her before leaving. "Good night, Jade."

/ / /

**Yes? No? Maybe? This is my first attempt at anything like this and very much unlike my other stories, so I'm really looking forward to some feedback. Please tell me if it's worth continuing and don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions. Also, I'm sorry if I didn't get all the details right. I haven't read all of the books myself yet.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fast update! I'm rather proud of myself, I usually never write this much in such a short time. But since I won't be home for the weekend, I thought I better update now than on Sunday. I was happy to see that you guys liked the story, since I wasn't sure if it would go down well with the fandom because it's kind of different. So thanks for every review, alert and fave! :)**

* * *

_Fire. Screaming. Demons. Smoke. Dead bodies. A flash of light. A mirror. An amulet._

Jade awoke with a start and found herself sitting up straight in the unfamiliar bed, her entire body covered in cold sweat. She spun around and took in her surroundings, before it slowly started dawning on her, and she remembered the events of the night before; how she fought demons, got distracted for a split second, the pain of sharp claws ripping through her flesh, coming to the Institute, and...

Beck. In less than a second he was through the door and beside her. He was fast, even for a Shadowhunter, she thought, not without a hint of jealousy pounding in the back of her mind. The only question was, _why_ was he here? "Are you all right?" he asked, slightly out of breath, while he kneeled down next to her and shot her a worried glance. He was still in his pajamas, just that this time he wasn't wearing his dressing gown over them, which implied that he had rushed straight out of bed and to her (well, his) room.

"I guess," she replied hesitantly, and brought a hand up to her forehead to wipe away the sweat that had formed little, glistening droplets on her skin. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard you scream," he explained.

She turned to look at him, and he noticed the sudden confusion plastered across her face as she furrowed her perfectly plucked eyebrows. "I screamed?" He confirmed with a nod. "Weird," she said after a while, gazing in the distance, and he wasn't sure if she was still talking to him or to herself. "That has never happened before."

The worry was evident in his eyes, as he suddenly got up from his knees to sit down next to her on his bed. "Before? What do you mean? What happened?" He didn't even notice that he reflexively grabbed her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. She did notice it, though. His skin felt warm against hers, and she had to resist the urge to flinch from his grasp. She wasn't used to all this; people guarding her, caring for her.

Jade let out a deep sigh. She wasn't much of a talker – not that it had ever been necessary anyway – and all of this was new to her, but she instantly decided that talking about her feelings was something she didn't like. There was something in Beck's eyes, though, maybe it was his honest concern for her, that made her feel weak and made it harder to hide something from him. "It was just a nightmare," she eventually said. "Nothing to worry about."

Giving her another worried glance, he asked, "Do you have nightmares often?"

"Every night."

That left him speechless for a second. A few times he opened his mouth, trying to say something, before closing it again. Eventually, he took a deep breath and looked at her with a seriousness in his eyes that she hadn't seen on him before. "Jade," he said. "I get that you don't like talking about it – but what happened to you? And I'm not just talking about last night."

"What makes you think that something happened to me?"

He realized that she was slowly building up her walls again, regaining the inner strength he had seen the first time he met her, when she wouldn't even stop to listen to him and just focused on what she had set her mind on. "You are... different. Different from all other Shadowhunters I have met so far, and that are more than a few. I can't really explain it, but there's something about you that makes you stand out."

"I'm not that different from you," she told him coldly. The repulse in her tone felt almost like a backstab to him, after he had done everything he could to help her.

"Why are you alone?"

"I don't remember agreeing to a game of twenty questions," she hissed, grinding her teeth. She finally pulled back her hand from under his, and nervously wiped it on the sheets before resting it in her lap. He gave up with an exasperated sigh, scooting a few inches away from her, as if she could lunge out any second.

But she didn't. Instead, she suddenly swung her legs to the side and got up from the bed. He watched her, warily and slightly confused, as she grabbed her clothes from the armchair next to his desk, where she had placed them before going to sleep the night before. She examined her black leather pants, nodded approvingly and hung them over her arm, before grabbing her shirt and giving it a scrutinizing look. The black cloth was blood-stained and torn in some places, covered by a thin layer of dirt and dust. Jade groaned, and tossed it in the trashcan under Beck's desk, where it landed on a pile of wadded paper. Turning to Beck, she said, "You don't have a shirt I can borrow, do you?"

"Why?" he asked in a tone that implied that he had a sense of foreboding. And he was right.

She picked up her jacket, and, after taking a quick look at it, also threw it over her arm with a satisfied nod. "I have to go back."

"Back to where?"

"The abandoned house where I fought the demons last night," she explained unfazed. "I gotta get my stele. And my bag."

"You want to go _back _there?" His voice was full of disbelief.

She was still calm. "That's what I just said, isn't it? Maybe you should get your ears checked."

"You got almost torn to _death_ there just a few hours ago," he stated, his disapproval evident in not only his voice, but also his tensed body. "Do you really think the demons will just let you walk in again to get your _bag_?"

She rolled her eyes. "Do _you_ really think I left any of them alive? Look, Beck, it's nice that you're concerned, but I know what I'm doing. Last night, all of this, it didn't happen because the demons were too strong for me. Something else happened in there, I got distracted for a second, and that's when they got me, all right? I had everything under control until then."

"What happened?" he demanded. It seemed to become a habit of his, asking this question, and it angered him that he never got a satisfying answer from her.

She noticed his growing frustration. "I don't even really know myself. That's why I _have _to get my bag. It's in it."

"_What_ is in it? Dammit, Jade, can you stop speaking in riddles for once?" He clenched his fist as he spoke, a single vein sticking out from his neck. Beck was usually calm and collected, but this girl was driving him round the bend. He didn't understand what it was that made him care for her this much, so he simply brushed it off as his general kindness without giving it a second thought.

Her mouth twisted slightly. "It's... I told you, it's hard to explain!" she spat, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Just give me a goddamn shirt and I'll be out of here, you'll never have to see me again."

"No way," he objected. "If anything, I'm coming with you."

She groaned. "How do I know that you won't be a burden? I don't even know if you're a capable Shadowhunter."

His mouth twitched into a smirk. "What makes you think I'm not?"

/ / /

The old house on the edge of St. Rose Avenue in South Central Los Angeles didn't need any glamour to look rundown. Even though Beck had been living in this city since he was seven, he had never been in this neighborhood before, not even for any of his jobs, as he liked to call them. But it didn't take more than one glance to see that this was a perfect hideout for any Downworlders. Thick layers of dirt covered the mostly cracked windows that were boarded up with massive planks from the inside, and even in the daylight it seemed like a perfectly dark place, in which demons wouldn't have to fear the sun.

"What on earth brought you here last night?" Beck asked curiously. "You don't live in LA, right?" His black leather coat glistened in the sun, hiding the weapons he had stored underneath. The dark clothing made him seem older, and like someone who should be taken way more seriously than the boy in pajamas Jade had met last night.

Her heavy boots gave a satisfying thump as she walked beside him further towards the building. "No," she replied, referring to his last question and ignoring the first. "I don't live anywhere."

"What?" he retorted, now turning to look at her. "How is that possible?"

She shrugged, and kept her eyes focused on the abandoned house that was lying in front of them. "I travel around, never stay in one place too long."

"Alone?"

"Is this your way of asking me if I have a boyfriend?" she smirked.

Even though he quickly lowered his head, Jade did not miss that Beck's face turned a shade redder. "_No_," he emphasized, slightly pouting. "I was just wondering."

She studied his face for a second, (quickly pushing aside all thoughts that told her that he looked cute when he was embarrassed) before replying, "Yes, alone."

They were now standing right in front of the demon's nest, or _former _demon's nest, as, according to Jade, all demons who used to live there had been killed the night before. She didn't even hesitate before violently kicking in the brittle front door, and was about to step inside, when a hand on her shoulder held her back. She rolled her eyes and hissed an annoyed "_What_", not even bothering to turn around.

Beck held up a Sensor that Shadowhunters used to pick up demonic frequencies, so that she could see it. "Maybe we should check for demons first," he explained, and reached for a button on the device's side.

"I told you, I killed them all," she said impatiently, shaking off his hand. "And I'm good at what I'm doing." She took a few confident steps inside and immediately started looking around for her things. Next to a splatter of dark, dry blood, she spotted her stele and quickly went over to pick it up.

"Oh yeah? Didn't look like it to me last night," Beck teased, and turned on his Sensor despite her protest.

She shot him an angry glance, threateningly pointing her stele at him. "That was _not_ my fault," she spat. Then she brought her surroundings back into focus, and found her bag lying at the other end of the room. Just as she was about to walk over to get it, Beck interposed.

"Jade, wait. The Sensor–" Before he could finish his warning, a loud growl sounded through the building. Jade turned around just in time to see a black creature throwing itself at her, baring its yellow, pointed teeth. She tried to dodge, but found herself captured between an old drawer and a huge, shattered chandelier, that at one point must have fallen off the ceiling. She threw her arms over her head, trying to protect as much of her body as possible, and getting ready for the demon to get to her. But it never did.

Instead, she heard the creature cry out in pain. Jade looked up from behind her arms, both surprised and confused, to find that Beck had used a long knife to slash the demon in half. It let out another terrifying scream, before it faded away, back into its dimension.

Jade just stood there, glued to the spot, unable to move. If she had been admiring Beck's swiftness before, she was now completely and utterly amazed by not only that, but also his skills. Not many Shadowhunters could manage to kill a demon at a single stroke. His smooth temper had made her underestimate him, something she now regretted. "You okay?" Beck asked, and took a few steps towards her. It was only when he held out his hand for her, that she noticed that she had went down on her knees. She grabbed her bag with one hand, then accepted Beck's with the other, and he pulled her on her feet. When she nodded to affirm his question, he broke out into a grin. "What did I tell you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up." Ignoring any further questions, she started rifling through her bag, while the two teenagers walked back out of the building. "It has to be here somewhere..." she murmured, and Beck curiously peeked over her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Like I told you, I got distracted yesterday. I was in the middle of the battle, when this thing suddenly started going crazy." Her eyes lit up as she finally found what she was looking for, and she reached deeper into her bag, pulling out a golden necklace, with a big, antique-looking pendant.

Beck gasped, momentarily stunned. "My amulet."


	3. Chapter 3

**I meant to update sooner, but for some reason this chapter was hard for me to write. There isn't much action or romance in this one, but it's important nevertheless. Next chapter we will meet some more characters.**

**Please review and let me know what you think, your feedback is what keeps me going :)**

* * *

"_Your_ amulet?" Jade narrowed her eyes in confusion and astonishment, her fingers still clutched around the golden necklace, that was now shimmering in the sunlight as they stepped out of the building. The pendant was rather big and oval-shaped. A few green gems beset the rim; Jade assumed they were emeralds, even though she had never actually given much thought to it. Most importantly, the back and front side of the amulet met in the middle, giving the impression that something was hidden inside the pendant.

Beck's eyes were firmly fixed on the piece of jewelry in Jade's hands. He nodded. "Yes, I'm sure it's–" His explanation was interrupted when suddenly, the amulet started glowing. Jade's eyes widened.

"There!" she exclaimed, pointing at the object in her hands. It was the most excited Beck had ever seen her. (Not that he had known her all that long.) "It's doing it again! This–" She lifted the amulet higher in the air. "_This_ is what happened yesterday. I was wearing it, and suddenly it started glowing exactly like this. That's when I lost my focus, because I didn't know what was happening and stuffed it in my bag. I think it might–"

But Jade didn't get to finish telling Beck about her theory, as the amulet, just as fast as it had started glowing, now started moving. It wiggled in her hands, and with a sudden gasp of surprise, she let it go. It flew out of her hands and flopped against Beck's chest with a thump. He was quick to catch it before it could hit the ground, but the expression on his face was just as startled as Jade's.

They exchanged a glance. "It didn't do _that_ yesterday," she said, eyeing the amulet suspiciously.

Beck glanced around. They were still on the grounds of the old building, and he didn't like this neighborhood much, either. He closed his fist around the pendant. "I think we should go back to the Institute."

/ / /

"So," Jade said as she plopped down on the bed in Beck's room. It was still unmade from the night before, just as they had left it in the morning, when they left for the abandoned house. Beck was already lying sprawled out on the bed, holding the amulet in the air just above his face to examine it. Jade was right beside him now, eyes on the amulet as well. "What makes you think this is yours?"

Beck turned to look at her, interested, and raised his eyebrows. "What makes _you_ think this is_ yours_?"

"Well, for instance, I've had it for almost ten years. Hanging round my neck, to be precise. I never took it off - until yesterday," she told him, unfazed. Letting herself fall back, so she was lying down next to him, she shot him a challenging glance, awaiting his response.

But his expression looked rather startled than impressed or intimidated by what she had just told him. "Ten years?" he asked, and the sudden vulnerability in his voice made her drop all playfulness. She gave him a quick, worried glance and just nodded. "Where did you get it?"

"I don't really remember," she admitted, eyes fixed on her hands now. When she noticed that his expression was mixed with some kind of disbelief and confusion at her words, she sighed and started explaining, "There was a fire in my village, we were under attack. I don't remember all that much of it –everything happened so fast– but after I had managed to flee from the demons and was a fair way off, I noticed that I was holding something." She gestured at the gleaming jewelry in Beck's hands.

His eyes had widened with every word she said. For a short moment he just stared at her, unable to speak as he was trying to make sense of the clutter of thoughts in his mind. He thought he felt the amulet in his hands moving again, but when he glanced down, he realized that it had just been his imagination playing tricks on him. Still gazing at the golden necklace, he asked, "What did you say you were from?"

Jade hesitated. Sharing personal information with strangers wasn't exactly her favorite pastime, and she hadn't even known Beck for a full day, but eventually she answered nevertheless. "I grew up in a small village in the north of Idris," she said.

"Can you tell me more about that night?" He sat up, giving her a stern look.

She furrowed her eyebrows and returned the look. "Some demons somehow managed to get into the country," she told him, now gazing at her hands. "I think it is still unknown how they did it. It was in the middle of the night, when they suddenly started attacking us. Within minutes the whole village was burning. I could get out of my house just in time. Many people weren't that lucky. I was alone. I just tried to get away as far as possible, I was way too young to fight." She paused for a short moment, thinking. "That's about all I remember."

"Nothing else?" His eyes, determined and earnest, seemed to bore into hers.

"Beck, I don't see how this is of any–"

"Please," he said. "I think I know why you had my amulet, but I need to be sure. Tell me everything you remember."

"Fine," she sighed, then went silent for a second or two, trying to remember more details. She didn't like thinking about that day, over the years she had pushed it to the back of her mind. "I saw a demon ripping apart a woman–not a nice view for a six-year-old. There was a man–I believe it was my old teacher, but I'm not sure–fighting a Behemoth demon with a whip. I found a boy about my age in front of a burning house and took him with me, away from the fire. Then there–"

"That's it!" Beck suddenly exclaimed. In his excitement, he let go of the amulet. It landed in his lap. "I knew it, I knew it was you. You–you saved my life."

Jade gave him a confused look, shaking her head. "What are you talking about?"

"The boy– that was me. You saved _me_ that day." He beamed at her, and she sat up, a look of confusion and disbelief still plastered over her face.

"You're from my village," she breathed, more to herself than to him, but he caught it and nodded.

"The amulet–" He picked it up from where he had dropped it and held it up for her to see. "My father gave it to me that night, just seconds before the demons set fire to our house. I held it in my hands the whole time. I think when you pulled me up and led me out of the village, I might have subconsciously handed it to you."

Jade took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. Her blue extensions stood out from the black radiantly. "Wow," she said, the word leaving her mouth together with the air she exhaled. "This is crazy. I haven't seen anyone from my village since I left ten years ago."

"What about your parents?" Beck asked carefully, knowing that over half of the population had died that night, including his own parents.

Her expression darkened. "They were killed."

"I'm sorry." He bit his lip. "Mine too."

They sat in an overwhelming silence for a short moment that almost felt like an eternity. Still, in a strange way, Jade felt understood for the first time in her life. Here, right in front of her, sat someone who had experienced the same she had. The attack, the fire, the loss of the most important people in their life. It was comforting to know that after all, she wasn't completely alone in this world. Eventually, Jade cleared her throat. "So, do you have any idea what magic your dad used on the amulet?"

Beck looked up. "Magic?"

"Yeah, it's obvious under a spell. Not just this weird stuff it's been doing, I've also never managed to open it in all those years, even though it's clearly one of those pendants that you can put something in." Beck followed her movements as she pointed at the golden oval.

"Maybe it's stuck?" he suggested. "It looks old, who knows."

But Jade shook her head. "No, I've tried opening it more than once, using knives and whatnot, but it just won't open. There's a stronger force making sure that no one gets to the core."

He frowned at the amulet, running his fingers over its side, where the front and back formed a slit. He slipped his fingernail inside and lifted it slightly, to see if he would be met with any resistance. But to his surprise, the opposite happened, and with a tiny _clink_ the pendant sprung open. Gaping first at the amulet in his hands, then turning to Jade, he said, "Are you sure you did it right?"

"By the Angel," she exclaimed in amazement. "How did you _do_ that?"

He slightly shook his head in bewilderment, and looked down at the golden pendant, which now showed a tiny old picture of three people. Beck didn't have to look twice to recognize them. It was his parents and him, when he was still a little boy. When everything was still okay, he thought, not without feeling a pang in his chest. They looked perfectly happy and content in the sepia-colored picture. His mothers hand rested on six-year-old Beck's shoulder, and his father looked down at his little family with pride. "I don't know, I just opened it."

"That's probably part of the spell," Jade said thoughtfully, eyeing the photograph. "But there must be more to it. Do you have any idea what your father could have wanted you to do with the amulet?"

He pondered over it for a while, before shaking his head. "I can't think of anything. That was such a long time ago and everything happened so fast..."

Jade crossed her arms in front of her chest, making a face. "Well how do we find out?"

Beck snapped the pendant shut and gave her a triumphant smile. "I know someone who might be able to help us."


	4. Chapter 4

**If all of you get a piece of my "sorry I should have updated sooner" cake, will you still hate me?**

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From the outside there was no way tell the rather small house from the others that lined the seemingly endless road somewhere in the middle of LA. Jade believed that it was one of the more exclusive parts of the city, but she could only assume. Just like she had no idea why Beck had brought her here. But he seemed to know what he was doing, and it was not like she could do much else than follow him when he confidently walked up the steps to the slightly yellowed house.

He knocked exactly three times, leaving a small pause between each knock. After not more than three seconds the door flung open and revealed a dark-skinned man, smiling widely at the sight of the two. "Beck, nice to see you, man." There was something off about this guy, Jade could tell. He most definitely wasn't a Shadowhunter. Not only was he missing the scars and runes that were evidence for the life as a hunter, but there was also something about his aura that just seemed... different, though not in a negative way. Beck seemed to trust him, and so Jade decided that she would, too.

"Good to see you, too, Andre," Beck said and shook his friend's hand. Hadn't it been for the sunlight, Jade probably would not have noticed the little golden streaks in Andre's hair, and it was only at second glance that she noticed his pointed fingernails.

"A Warlock?" she mused, unaware of that she had said her thoughts out loud. The two boys had heard her, though, and Andre curiously turned to look at her.

"And you are?" He tilted his head to take in her features, smiling at what he saw. What could he say, he had always been a ladies' man.

Beck cleared his throat and gestured towards Jade. "Andre, this is Jade; Jade, Andre," he introduced. "She's a–"

"Shadowhunter, I can see that," Andre completed his friend's sentence. "I might be a couple dozen years older than you, my friend, but I'm not blind."

Beck chuckled. "Alright then. Can we come in? There's something I need to show you." The Warlock nodded and stepped aside to let them enter his home. The inside, much unlike the outside, looked neat, modern, and also expensive, but it didn't surprise Jade. Warlocks were immortal after all, and they had all the time in the world to gather money, and their magic, of course. Personally, she wasn't too fond of Warlocks, the ones she had come across during her journey had all been greedy and incalculable, both of which were traits she didn't like.

Andre, however, seemed different. And it wasn't just the fact that he appeared to be best friends with a Shadowhunter, his whole presence gave off a different vibe than all other Warlocks Jade had met in her life. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

The Warlock led them through a corridor into what seemed to be his living room and went straight to one of the armchairs when they arrived. He didn't pay attention to the two people that were sitting on the large couch across from him, nor did he find it necessary to introduce them. And Jade soon found out why. "Tori," Beck said, smiling at the brown-haired woman. She appeared to be the same age as Beck and Jade, and her gear made it obvious that she was a Shadowhunter as well, just like the slightly older man that was sitting next to her. "Haven't seen you in a while."

She smiled right back at him, revealing her perfect, white teeth. "Hi Beck. I didn't expect to see you here!" Gesturing to the man next to her, she continued, "You probably haven't met Ryder yet. He's my boyfriend." She gave Ryder a smile and entwined their hands happily.

"Hey," Beck greeted and formally shook the other man's hand.

"So, Beck," Andre then said. He leaned back in his chair, letting his glance wander to Jade, who had been standing motionless the entire time, observing warily. "Are you two...?"

Beck's face immediately reddened at his friend's words. "Wh-what? No we're..." He glanced at Jade nervously. A frown was now masking her face, directed at Andre. "We only just met, actually." The young Shadowhunter cleared his throat awkwardly, before fishing the golden amulet out of his pocket. "And we need your help with this," he explained, holding out the glistening pendant to his friend, who took it curiously.

The Warlock examined the jewelry while Beck filled him on on what happened and what he knew. "So, do you have any idea what kind of amulet it could be, or what spell is on it?" he finished eventually. Andre was still looking at the amulet, holding it close to his eyes, while Tori and Ryder were watching and listening in silence, but curiously.

"Open it for me," Andre ordered after a short moment of silence, and Beck did. The dark-skinned man disregarded the sepia picture of the Oliver family completely, but instead let out a surprised gasp when he took a closer look at the opposite side of the pendant. "Ahh," he said, closing one eye to get a better look at it.

"You know what it is?" Beck asked hopefully, but Andre shook his head.

"Not quite," he admitted. "Something's engraved in it, but I can't read it."

Beck frowned, his shoulders sinking in disappointment. "Then why did you do that?"

Andre was about to explain, but Jade interfered. "Hold up," she said, taking a few steps towards the Warlock. "What do you mean there's something engraved in it? There was nothing but the picture when we opened it yesterday."

"That's because you're a Shadowhunter," Andre told her matter-of-factly. "You're lacking demon blood, you won't be able to see it."

"Wait," Beck said, stepping forward. "You mean, the spell that's been cast on it is of _demonic_ nature?"

Andre nodded. "Hmh. But that doesn't mean it's evil," he reassured them. "As I said, I can't read it, so I won't be able to tell you what exactly it is." He let the pendant snap shut and handed it back to Beck. "But I know who can."

"I'm all ears," Beck said while letting the amulet slide back into his pocket.

"Just be ready for Robbie to pick you up later tonight, I'll fill him in and send him to you. He'll know what to do."

"Got it," Beck said. "Thanks."

. . .

"That Ryder guy," Jade started as her and Beck were walking back to the Institute. "You've never seen him before?" Next to the pair, a street light flickered on with a faint buzzing sound, lighting up the sidewalk and giving Beck the chance to see her face while they were talking.

"No, why? Have you?" he retorted. He was absentmindedly kicking a pebble as he walked, until it accidentally landed in a gully. He made a face.

Jade shook her head thoughtfully. "No... But something seemed off. I can't tell what it was, it could've been nothing. Just a gut feeling."

"Tori has a horrible taste when it comes to boys, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was something shady about him," he explained. "She always ends up heartbroken."

The black-haired girl shrugged. "As long as that's all."

The pair arrived at the Institute just as the sun was beginning to set. They were climbing the stairs up to the front door, when suddenly, there was a hiss coming from the bushes next to them, and before they knew what was happening, a hideous creature had thrown itself on Jade and was pinning her to the ground, three rows of white, pointed teeth lingering right over her face.

Both Shadowhunters were taken aback for a second, before Beck quickly drew a knife and darted for the demon. He was fast, but so was the creature, as it aimed for Jade's head. She was prepared, though, and could roll to her side fast enough to escape the attack. Its teeth crashed into the hard ground and it wailed with pain. The monster was still holding down her wrists, but she took the opportunity when it was still recovering from its failed attempt at biting her and freed her legs enough to kick it hard. It cried out again, throwing back its head, and that was when Beck's knife went right through its throat. The demon vanished as fast as it had appeared.

"Are you alright?" Beck panted, holding out his hand to help her up, while he put his knife back into the sheath on his belt with the other. Jade accepted his hand, growling.

"You need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Beck looked around to make sure there weren't any more demons, before he opened the large front gate and led them both in, his hand still linked with hers. The inside of the Institute was still dark, except for a few Witchlights, just as they had left it. Beck's godfather still hadn't returned.

"Constantly saving me. I can do fine on my own." She pulled her hand out of his stubbornly, when they stepped into the elevator.

Beck smirked teasingly. "Can you really?"

"Yes."

"You sure."

"Positive."

"Hmm."

"Shut up."

And by the time the soft _ping_ let them know that they had arrived on their desired floor and the doors slid open, Beck and Jade were pressed up against the back of the elevator, kissing each other feverishly. They just so managed to stumble across the hallway and in Beck's room, all without ever breaking contact, before their clothes quickly found their way to the floor piece by piece.

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